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A Plan  qf  Social  Work 

fIhe  Federal  Council  qf  the 
Churches  qf  Christ  in  America 

Prof.  Shatter  Mathews,  President 
Rev.  Charles  S.  Macfarland,  Secretary 


The  Federal  Council  of  the  Churches  of 
Christ  in  America  is  a National  Feder- 
ation, of  30  Denominations  and  Com- 
munions, united  for  Common  Service 


The 

Federal  Council  Commission  on 
the  Church  and  Social  Service 

Rev.  Josiah  Strong,  Chairman 


National  Offices,  612  United  Charities  Building 
105  East  22d  Street,  New  York 


Cfje  Commission  on  tlje  Cimrtl)  anb 
Coital  iserbtce 

Rev.  Josxah  Strong,  Chairman  Prof.  George  W.  Richards,  Recording  Secretary 


Committee  of  Direction 

Prof.  Edward  T.  Devine 
Rev.  Henry  A.  Atkinson 
Rev.  Samuel  Z.  Batten 
William  F.  Cochran 
Rev.  Frank  M.  Crouch 
Miss  Grace  H.  Dodge 
Shelby  M.  Harrison 
Miss  Louise  Holmquist 
Rev.  J.  Howard  Melish 
Rev.  Frank  Mason  North 
William  B.  Patterson 
Gifford  Pinchot 
Rev.  Josiah  Strong 
Rev.  Charles  L.  Thompson 
Charles  R.  Towson 
Rev.  Harry  F.  Ward 


Secretarial  Council 

Rev.  Henry  A.  Atkinson 
14  Beacon  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

Rev.  Samuel  Z.  Batten 
1701  Chestnut  Street 
Philadelphia  Pa. 

Rev.  Frank  M.  Crouch 
281  Fourth  Avenue,  New  York 

Rev.  Charles  O.  Gill 
Hartland,  Vt. 

Rev.  Harry  F.  Ward 
2512  Park  Place 
Evanston,  Illinois 


Committee  on  Church  and  Country  Life 

Gifford  Pinchot 

Prof.  Ihomas  N.  Carver 

Pres.  Kenyon  L.  Butterfield 

Rev.  William  I.  Haven 

Henry  Wallace 

Rev.  Warren  H.  Wilson 


Rev.  Charles  O.  Gill 
Field  Investigator 


Rev.  Ernest  H.  Abbott 
Rt.  Rev.  C.  P.  Anderson 
Roger  W.  Babson 
Mrs.  O.  Shepard  Barnum 
Bishop  William  M.  Bell 
Bishop  S.  C.  Breyfogel 
Pres.  Franklin  E-  Brooke 
Pres.  George  C.  Chase 
Rev.  Orrin  G.  Cocks 
George  W.  Coleman 
Harris  R.  Cooley 
William  K.  Cooper 
Pres.  Boothe  C.  Davis 
Rev.  Jonathan  C.  Day 
Rev.  Edwin  Heyl  Delk 
John  J.  Eagan 
Prof.  Edwin  L-  Earp 
Richard  H.  Edwards 
Pres.  H.  L-  Elderdice 
H.  D.  W.  English 
Prof.  Daniel  Evans 
Bishop  Joseph  S.  Flipper 
Homer  Folks 
Rev.  Samuel  M.  Gibson 
Rev.  Levi  Gilbert 
Rev.  Washington  Gladden 
John  M.  Glenn 
Prof.  Ihomas  C.  Hall 
Rev.  W.  H.  Hamblin 
Rev.  W.  F.  Heil 
Prof.  C.  R.  Henderson 
Prof.  James  R.  Howerton 
Prof.  C.  H.  Johnson 
Prof.  Rufus  M.  Jones 
Rev.  O.  F.  Jordan 
Paul  U.  Kellogg 
Howard  A.  Kelly,  M.D. 

Rev.  J.  H.  Kendall 
Rev.  William  E-  Lampe 
John  B.  Lennon 
Owen  R.  Lovejoy 
Prof.  F.  E.  Lumley 
Bishop  Francis  J.  McConnell 
Rev.  J.  E.  McCulloch 
Mrs.  R.  W.  MacDonnell 
Miss  Mary  E.  McDowell 
A.  J.  McKelway 
Pres.  David  McKinney 
Rev.  H.  H.  McNeill 
Rev.  H.  H.  Marlin 


Rev.  J.  W.  Messinger 

Rev.  Alfred  E.  Meyer 

James  Alexander  Miller,  M.D. 

Frank  Morrison 

Pres.  S.  K.  Mosiman 

Rev.  C.  J.  Musser 

Rev.  H.  H.  Peters 

Rev.  John  P.  Peters 

Rev.  O.  W.  Powers 

Rev.  H.  H.  Proctor 

Pres.  H.  F.  Rail 

James  A.  Rath 

Prof.  Walter  Rauschenbusch 

Rev.  John  A.  Rice 

Rev.  Peter  Roberts 

Mrs.  Raymond  Robins 

Miss  Helen  J.  Sanborn 

A.  M.  Scales 

Rev.  Doremus  Scudder 

Miss  Florence  Simms 

Willard  L.  Small 

Rev.  Samuel  G.  Smith 

Prof.  Edward  A.  Steiner 

Rev.  Charles  Stelzle 

Chancellor  D.  S.  Stephens 

Rev.  Paul  M.  Strayer 

Rev.  Carlyle  Summerbell 

Very  Rev.  W.  T.  Sumner 

Rev.  E.  Guy  Talbott 

Fred  E.  Tasker 

Prof.  A.  W.  Taylor 

Prof.  Graham  Taylor 

Rev.  John  A.  Thurston 

Rev.  Worth  M.  Tippy 

Rev.  A.  J.  T'urkle 

Rev.  Samuel  Tyler 

Rev.  T.  Wl  Wallace 

Bishop  Alexander  Walters 

Rev.  George  T.  Webb 

Rev.  A.  E-  Webster 

Pres.  Herbert  Welch 

Rev.  G.  Frederick  Wells 

Rev.  Gaylord  S.  White 

John  Williams 

Rev.  Leighton  Williams 

Rev.  G.  B.  Winton 

Rev.  Edward  S.  Wolle 

Miss  Carolena  M.  Wood 

Rev.  E.  S.  Woodring 

Rev.  James  F.  Zwemer 


Rev.  Charles  S.  Macfarland,  Secretary 


A Plan  of  Social  Work 

The  Federal  Council  is  a federation  of  the  churches,  in  unity  of 
spirit,  and  with  union  of  action  upon  matters  of  service  in  which  all 
the  churches  are  in  common  agreement. 

Its  national  office  is  the  educative  and  administrative  center,  both 
guiding  and  expressing  the  common  sentiment  of  the  churches  on  na- 
tional and  international  issues,  and  also  providing  a common  program 
for  the  State  and  local  federations  which  are  organized  for  community 
service. 

The  various  forms  of  social  uplift  which  are  before  the  church 
offer  one  of  the  most  vital  and  permanent  of  reasons  and  opportunities 
for  federation. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  opportunities  for  social  services  are  of  such 
a nature  that  they  can  be  fulfilled,  in  large  measure,  only  by  the  churches 
acting  together. 

Social  Service  is  thus  in  part  the  basis  of  the  Federal  Council, 
and  the  Federal  Council  offers  the  basis  for  Social  Service. 


It  becomes  the  duty  of  the  Commission  to  carry  out  the  recommendations 
unanimously  adopted  by  the  first  Federal  Council  in  Philadelphia,  1908,  as  con- 
tained in  the  Report  of  its  Committee,  published  under  the  title,  “The  Church 
and  Modern  Industry,”  and  by  the  second  Federal  Council  in  Chicago,  19x2, 
embodied  in  the  Report  of  the  Commission  to  the  Council.  Both  of  these 
documents,  of  which  the  following  are  typical  utterances,  should  be  read  in 
order  to  see  the  meaning  of  this  program. 

“The  Churches  of  Christ  in  this  Federal  Council  accept  without  reserve 
and  assert  without  apology  the  supreme  authority  of  Jesus  Christ.” 

“Christ’s  mission  is  not  merely  to  reform  society,  but  to  save  it.  He  is 
more  than  the  world’s  Readjuster.  He  is  its  Redeemer.” 

“The  Church  becomes  worthless  for  its  higher  purpose  when  it  deals  with 
conditions  and  forgets  character,  relieves  misery  and  ignores  sin,  pleads  for 
justice  and  undervalues  forgiveness.” 

“The  Church’s  doors  open  upon  the  commqn  levels  of  life.  They  should 
never  be  closed.  Its  window's  open  toward  the  skies.  Let  their  light  not  be 
darkened.” 

“At  no  time  have  the  disadvantages  of  the  sectarian  divisions  of  the  Church 
been  more  apparent  than  when  the  call  has  come  for  a common  policy  or  a united 
utterance  concerning  such  problems  as  modern  industry  now  presents.” 

“The  Church  does  not  stand  for  the  present  social  order,  but  only  for  so 
much  ©f  it  as  accords  with  the  principles  laid  down  by  Jesus  Christ.” 


"We  recognize  the  complex  nature  of  industrial  obligations,  affecting  em- 
ployer and  employee,  society  and  government,  rich  and  poor,  and  most  earn- 
estly counsel  tolerance,  patience  and  mutual  confidence;  we  do  not  defend  or 
excuse  wrongdoing  in  high  places  or  in  low,  or  purpose  to  adapt  the  ethical 
standards  of  the  Gospel  to  the  exigencies  of  commerce  or  the  codes  of  a con- 
tused industrial  system.” 

“Our  problems,  nearly  all  of  them,  at  least,  go  back  to  the  fundamental  one  of 
Industry.  We  are  not  unaware  of  its  confused  ethics  or  of  the  difficulties  in  the 
way  of  securing  an  industrial  equality  which  shall  ameliorate  our  social  wrongs, 
but  this  need  not  daunt  us  in  our  faith  that  the  Gospel  professed  by  the  Churches 
&i  Christ  in  America  is  equal  to  the  task.” 

“The  Christian  Church  has  thus  the  three-fold  vocation  of  conscience,  in- 
terpreter, and  guide  of  all  social  movements.  Her  viewpoint  is  from  above;  she 
Approaches  life  from  within;  she  guides  it  toward  its  spiritual  ends.” 

“Two  things  the  Church  must  gain:  the  one  is  spiritual  authority;  the  other 
is  human  sympathy.  And  be  her  human  sympathy  ever  so  warm  and  passionate, 
if  she  have  not  her  spiritual  authority,  she  can  do  little  more  than  raise  a limp 
signal  of  distress  with  a weak  and  pallid  hand.  But  if,  on  the  other  hand,  she  as- 
sume a spiritual  authority  without  a commensurate  human  sympathy,  she  becomes 
what  her  Master  would  call  ‘a  whited  sepulchre  filled  with  dead  men’s  bones.’  ” 


PRINCIPLES  ADOPTED  BY  THE  FEDERAL  COUNCIL 
IN  CHICAGO,  DECEMBER  9,  1912. 

“The  Churches  must  stand: 

1.  For  equal  rights  and  complete  justice  for  all  men  in  all  sta- 
tions of  life. 

2.  For  the  protection  of  the  family,  by  the  single  standard  of 
purity,  uniform  divorce  laws,  proper  regulation  of  marriage,  and 
proper  housing. 

3.  For  the  fullest  possible  development  for  every  child,  especially 
by  the  provision  of  proper  education  and  recreation. 

4.  For  the  abolition  of  child  labor. 

5.  For  such  regulation  of  the  conditions  of  toil  for  women  as 
shall  safeguard  the  physical  and  moral  health  of  the  community. 

6.  For  the  abatement  and  prevention  of  poverty. 

7.  For  the  protection  of  the  individual  and  society  from  the  social, 
economic  and  moral  waste  of  the  liquor  traffic. 

8.  For  the  conservation  of  health. 

9.  For  the  protection  of  the  worker  from  dangerous  machinery, 
occupational  diseases,  and  mortality. 

10.  For  the  right  of  all  men  to  the  opportunity  for  self-main- 
tenance, for  safeguarding  this  right  against  encroachments  of  every 


kind,  and  for  the  protection  of  workers  from  the  hardships  of  en- 
forced unemployment. 

11.  For  suitable  provision  for  the  old  age  of  the  workers,  and  for 
those  incapacitated  by  injury. 

12.  For  the  right  of  employees  and  employers  alike  to  organize; 
and  for  adequate  means  of  conciliation  and  arbitration  in  industrial  dis- 
putes. 

13.  For  a release  from  employment  one  day  in  seven. 

14.  For  the  gradual  and  reasonable  reduction  of  the  hours  of 
labor  to  the  lowest  practicable  point,  and  for  that  degree  of  leisure 
for  all  which  is  a condition  of  the  highest  human  life. 

15.  For  a living  wage  as  a minimum  in  every  industry,  and  for 
the  highest  wage  that  each  industry  can  afford. 

16.  For  a new  emphasis  upon  the  application  of  Christian  prin- 
ciples to  the  acquisition  and  use  of  property,  and  for  the  most 
equitable  division  of  the  product  of  industry  that  can  ultimately  be 
devised.” 


ORGANIZATION,  PLANS  AND  WORK. 


The  National  Office  of  the  Commission,  in  association  with  the 
Federal  Council,  will  be  developed  as  a CENTER  FOR  INFORMA- 
TION, INSPIRATION  AND  GUIDANCE,  in  the  social  work  of  the 
churches. 


Through  INTERDENOMINATIONAL  ACTION,  the  Commis- 
sion will  bring  about  CO-ORDINATION  AND  CO-OPERATION 

among  the  denominations  composing  the  Federal  Council,  including, 
so  far  as  may  be  possible,  the  adoption  of  A COMMON  PROGRAM, 
the  use  of  common  literature  and  the  presentation  of  the  united  appeal 
of  the  Gospel  in  its  application  to  social  problems  and  opportunities. 


Through  this  interdenominational  co-operation  will  come  THE 
DEVELOPMENT  of  this  aspect  of  the  work  OF  THE  CHURCHES, 
the  EDUCATION  OF  THE  MINISTRY  and  the  churches  for  it,  and 
THE  EQUIPMENT  OF  THE  CHURCHES  for  carrying  it  forward. 


Representing  the  churches  of  the  Federal  Council,  the  Commission 
will  co-operate  with  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINARIES,  so  far 
as  invited  and  permitted,  in  the  formulation  of  a policy  with  regard 
to  instruction  and  practical  training  in  this  important  subject. 


The  same  co-operation  will  obtain  with  the  various  SCHOOLS 
FOR  the  preparation  of  SOCIAL  WORKERS,  that  they,  upon  their 
side,  may  also  come  into  a proper  working  relation  with  the  Christian 
churches. 

THE  INSTRUCTION  in  Social  Science  and  Ethics  IN  OUR 
COLLEGES  AND  UNIVERSITIES,  imparted  to  young  men  and 
women  who  should  be  leaders  of  the  church  life  of  the  nation,  will  be 
the  subject  of  investigation  and  mutual  consideration,  through  con- 
ferences and  inquiry. 

The  relation  of  the  churches  to  the  multitude  of  AGENCIES  FOR 
SOCIAL  REFORM  and  betterment  is  an  important  problem  before 
the  Commission.  Its  influence,  together  with  that  of  the  denomina- 
tions and  churches  which  it  represents,  will  be  brought  to  co-operate, 
so  far  as  possible,  with  such  societies  and  movements,  in  relation, 
especially,  to  those  measures  which  affect  THE  MORAL  AND 
SPIRITUAL  WELFARE  OF  THE  PEOPLE.  This  will  include 
such  matters  as  Child  and  Woman  Labor,  Occupational  Disease,  Sun- 
day Labor,  Seven  Days’  Labor,  the  Reduction  of  Hours,  the  Better- 
ment of  Wages,  Housing  Conditions,  and  many  other  similar  causes. 

The  relations  between  LOCAL  Charity  ORGANIZATIONS,  So- 
cial Settlements  and  similar  local  work  will  be  taken  up  and  considered 
from  the  viewpoint  of  the  churches,  by  conference  and  inquiry. 

Our  HOME  MISSION  work  involves  many  social  problems  and 
includes  the  WORK  OF  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATION.  Indeed,  the 
churches  in  Home  Mission  fields  are  often,  if  not  generally,  the  initia- 
tors of  the  social  and  community  institutions.  This  work  will  be 
studied,  published,  encouraged  and  developed.  This  Commission  and 
the  Commission  on  Home  Missions  will  work  in  co-operation  to  this 
end. 


In  the  FOREIGN  MISSION  field,  this  branch  of  Christian  serv- 
ice has  in  some  cases  developed  more  fully  than  in  our  own  land,  espe- 
cially in  INDUSTRIAL,  MEDICAL  and  EDUCATIONAL  WORK, 
which  has  lifted  foreign  nations  to  a higher  social  level.  This  work 
will  be  made  the  subject  of  careful  research  and  continued  develop- 
ment, by  a working  relation  between  the  Commission  and  the  Com- 
mission on  Foreign  Missions. 

By  the  constant  issuing  of  LITERATURE  in  Leaflets  and  Hand- 
books for  serious  study,  and  the  use  of  the  religious,  daily  and  weekly 
press,  the  growing  accumulation  of  material  RELATING  TO  SO- 
CIAL UPLIFT  and  social  causes  will  be  put  into  such  shape  as  to 

BE  USED  BY  THE  CHURCHES  for  education  and  incitement  to 
service. 

The  Labor  and  Trade  Journals  will  receive  bulletins  informing 
industrial  workers  and  managers  of  the  deepening  interest  of  the 
church  in  their  common  problems  and  duty. 


Lists  of  Speakers,  Lecturers  and  Instructors  will  be  prepared, 
and  a Lantern  Slide  Bureau  established  and  developed. 


The  Bureau  of  Research  will  undertake  INVESTIGATIONS 
AND  SURVEYS  in  relation  to  the  whole  social  problem,  especially 
as  it  relates  itself  to  the  duty  of  the  Christian  Church.  Bibliographies 
will  be  issued. 


The  Commission  will  co-operate,  in  its  sphere,  with  the  Field  Sec- 
retaries of  the  Federal  Council  and  their  associates  in  FEDERATING 
THE  CHURCHES  and  will  endeavor  to  provide  its  share  of  a pro- 
gram for  State  and  community  federations. 


Working  partly  by  direct  access,  and  partly  through  denomina- 
tional agencies  and  State  and  local  federations,  the  work  of  LOCAL 
CHURCHES  and  communities  will  be  developed,  and  successful  en- 
deavors set  before  the  churches  in  general  for  emulation  and  en- 
couragement. 


The  Commission  will  confer  with  LABOR  REPRESENTA- 
TIVES and  will  send  its  delegates  to  their  gatherings. 

Similarly  it  will  confer  with  Groups  of  BUSINESS  MEN  and 
send  delegates  to  their  gatherings. 

It  will  confer  in  joint  meetings  of  both  of  these  elements  in  mod- 
ern industry  and  issue  its  challenge  to  both  of  them  to  unite  with  the 
church  in  a common  service. 


INVESTIGATIONS  will  be  made  IN  various  large  and  import- 
ant INDUSTRIES,  similar  to  the  investigation  of  the  steel  industry 
by  a special  committee  of  the  Commission  in  1910.  Similar  investiga- 
tions in  local  communities  will  be  made  through  pastors  and  other 
local  agents. 

A nation-wide  CAMPAIGN  will  be  carried  on,  endeavoring  to 
cover  all  the  States  of  the  Union,  FOR  ONE-DAY-IN-SEVEN  FOR 
INDUSTRIAL  WORKERS. 


The  Commission  will  continue  to  preserve  and  increase  the 
observance  of  LABOR  SUNDAY  in  the  pulpits  and  by  the  churches 
of  the  nation. 


Co-operation  in  the  work  of  FORWARD  MOVEMENTS  IN 
PERPETUATION  OF  THEIR  SOCIAL  RESULTS  will  be  carried 
out,  in  association  with  the  Field  Secretaries  of  the  Federal  Council 
in  their  work  of  community  federation  for  the  same  purpose.  This 
includes  the  Men  and  Religion  Movement. 


While  all  the  departments  of  its  program  should  relate  equally, 
so  far  as  applicable,  not  only  to  cities,  but  to  suburban  and  rural  com- 
munities, it  is  necessary  to  recognize  that,  in  many  ways,  RURAL 
BETTERMENT  has  its  own  peculiar  problems.  The  Commission 
will  help  to  co-ordinate  those  churches  and  religious  agencies  which 
offer  leadership  in  this  work.  It  will  endeavor  to  provide  a clearing- 
house of  bibliographic  lists  for  the  aid  of  rural  helpers,  instruction  as 
to  social  surveys  by  local  churches,  programs  for  community  service 
for  rural  churches,  and  a bureau  of  public  service,  relating  to  all  rural 
studies,  methods  and  problems. 

A special  committee  has  been  appointed  on  the  Church  and  Country 
Life  and  a field  investigator  has  been  given  the  task  of  initiating  and  de- 
veloping this  department. 

In  addition  to  these  efforts,  the  Commission  will  stand  ready  to 
take  up  ANY  SPECIAL  TASK  that  may  seem  to  fall  to  its  lot. 


While  at  some  points,  its  action  will  need  to  be  direct  and  im- 
mediate, its  chief  purpose  is  to  work  through  and  for  the  denomina- 
tional bodies  and  to  place  itself  at  the  service  of  their  agencies.  There- 
fore, the  Commission  will  endeavor,  at  every  possible  point,  to  bring 
about  its  ends  through  interdenominational  co-operation  in  this  work 
which  is  common  for  all  the  churches. 


Approved  and  adopted  by  the  Commission,  October,  1911. 

Frank  Mason  North,  Chairman. 

Charles  S.  Macfarland,  Secretary. 


This  Program  was  considered  as  a general  plan  for  interdenominational 
work  and  unanimously  approved  and  adopted,  at  a conference  made  up  of  repre- 
sentatives from  17  denominations,  at  Chicago,  November  8,  1911. 

Frank  M.  Crouch,  Recording  Secretary. 
Approved  by  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Federal  Council,  December 

13,  1911. 

Rivington  D.  Lord,  Recording  Secretary. 


Approved  and  adopted  by  the  Quadrennial  Session  of  the  Federal  Council  at 
Chicago,  December  9,  1912. 

Rivington  D.  Lord,  Recording  Secretary. 

Adopted  by  the  Commission,  March,  1912. 

George  W.  Richards,  Recording  Secretary. 


Literature  interpreting  the  various  elements  of  this  Program 
may  be  obtained  on  application  to  the  Secretary.  The  full  Report 
of  the  Commission,  especially,  should  be  read. 


